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Hi Rural Folks Across Canada!
This is our eleventh monthly eNews, which shares more information of rural ministry initiatives across Canada, mostly in the United Church of Canada.
Welcome to our new subscribers.
Past eNewsletters are archived at www.UCRMN.ca
Have a rural story you would like to share? You are welcome to submit your story to Connor at editor@UCRMN.ca. Please try to keep articles 300 to 500 words.
You may notice that articles in this edition of the ENews are a little shorter than usual. That's on purpose! In an effort to keep things shorter and to the point, we will now be sharing snippets of articles and stories in our newsletter but hosting the full versions on our website at ucrmn.ca. Please let us know what you think of the change by emailing info@ucrmn.ca.
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Grief for the Children
By Laura Latimer of Wilkie, SK
Last night , June 10th, 2021, I attended a vigil in Wilkie, Sk to remember and memorialize the 215 dead children from the Kamloops Residential School and it was one of the most moving events of my life.
The first speaker was a Metis woman, Helen Urlacher, who spoke of the suffering that happened to Residential School students. Next another Metis woman whose mother and mother-in-law had been at Residential school; her sad story was that her mother-in-law had been raped, became pregnant and afterwards was sterilized.
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Somewhere
By Catherine Smith
In the place I know the lines of boats still head out like a silent prayer on the first day of lobster fishing. The old store that supported and supplied this community through generations was closed last year. The church building stands right next door. With no land, other than that it stands on, people wonder whether those who buy the store property will let them park on their lot.
In the place I know the population swells in the summer with people coming home from away. The winds are strong, and the rows of carrots sometimes don’t grow in straight lines. People I know meet Living Presence in wood lots and paths. Though the faith community is a little ashamed and uncertain, as are many rural congregations, they are relearning a language of the holy that includes the word, beloved.
Please click here to continue reading this article.
For more of Catherine's writing, please click here.
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Canada's First Nations People Were Country's First Farmers
Submitted by Joyce Sasse
In place of our regular "Notes from a Country Preacher" column by Joyce Sasse, she has submitted this article as important reading for everyone. This is a column Western Producer I think is worthwhile reading, "Canada's First Nations people were country's first farmers", by Agricologist writer Katelyn Duncan (used with permission). This is the kind of thinking many would appreciate learning about ... and discussing with friends. This article was written some time before the news was released about the discovery of the hidden burial site at the Residential School there.
By Katelyn Duncan (Western Producer)
The first farmers of this land did not wear Carhartt’s. They didn’t drive pickup trucks or listen to Merle Haggard. The first farmers of this land were not of European descent. The first farmers were Indigenous people of what is now called the Canadian Prairies.
Primarily mobile buffalo hunters, Indigenous people produced and sold food, medicine, construction material, and ceremonial supplies gathered from nearly 180 plant species.
Life during the 1700s was vibrant on the Canadian Prairies, with diverse populations of Indigenous people, whose profound knowledge and connection to the land resulted in nutritional opportunism and nomadic communities.
Then Europeans arrived in search of land and resources. At one time, nearly 50 million buffalo roamed the Prairies. Realizing that the buffalo were a means of survival for Indigenous people, the governments at that time slaughtered the millions of buffalo. The lives of Indigenous people were changed forever, their food sovereignty demolished by colonization.
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Edge's Weekly Curiosity Cohort
Submitted by Bronwyn Corlett
Curiosity is the mindset change that we, as people of faith, are craving to begin to reimagine what church can be outside of Sunday morning.
It is the mindset shift that;
- Allows us to ask questions and keep asking questions
- Assists us in letting go of needing “the” answers and to relinquish control
- Teaches us to follow the Spirit and to keep listening and discerning
- Enables us to take leaps of faith and be courageous in experimenting
This is for innovative leaders, curious communities of faith, & those will to explore what might be possible.
Register for Tuesdays at 12pm EDT for 5 weeks starting September 28th. This course is also offered as a 1-day event.
Tickets available:
- Individual Tickets for $20 (up to 5 per community of faith)
- Group Tickets: If you are interested in having 5 or more members of your community of faith attend the cohort, please purchase 5 tickets, and let EDGE know in the next stage of registration who will attend
- All Are Welcome Ticket- please email EDGE directly for a free ticket edge@united-church.ca
For more information please click here.
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New Column: Ask the Experts!
Submitted by Eric Skillings
We've been getting some tech related questions from readers, so we feel like it is a great opportunity to start a column answering the questions for everyone! Karen asked us:
"We have recently returned to in person services, and are looking to continue to record our services for uploading to fb. We were able to record from zoom and upload, but now we are looking for some technology help.
There are two churches that alternate services monthly. The one church has internet and the smaller one does not.
We would be able to live record through internet on the one for upload.
My questions are: 1) Can we record on a phone and upload to fb without live streaming? 2) Is a phone too small a memory to do this?"
Stay tuned for the answer in our next newsletter! If you have a question you'd like answered, or you have an answer to one of the questions, please email editor@ucrmn.ca.
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United in Learning Roundtable Discussions
Submitted by Catherine Jerrett
These round table discussions are designed to provide continuing support and education for people who are currently serving the church as Licensed Lay Worship Leaders. If you've already received your training and been licensed by your Regional Council to serve in this way, join us to go a little deeper in the themes of the season, and connect with others who are also leading worship in the same ways. There will be a combination of plenary discussion and some time in Zoom break-out groups
For more information click here.
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Affirming Connections Spiritual Podcast Club
Submitted by Miranda Martini
There are tons of podcasts out there that affirm LGBTQ2S+ people of faith, but it can be daunting to dig your way through a pile of media all by yourself. That's why we're starting this book club-style discussion group, where you can discover affirming, hilarious, thought-provoking spiritual podcasts among friends!
Here's how it works: Affirming Connections will select a different podcast each month and curate a playlist of three must-listen episodes of that podcast. Participants will be sent the link to one of the episodes each week, and the discussion group hosted by Affirming Connections will gather on Zoom to discuss each one. We're piloting this new program in September with The Devil's Party, culminating in a visit from the podcast's host, the delightful Anthony Oliveira, for our final meeting on September 23!
September dates: September 9 September 16 September 23 All from 7pm-8:30pm MDT
This program is online and free to attend.
To register click here.
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Upcoming events at EDGE
More "What's Next" Conversations: Check out for the link at http://www.ruralconnectucc.ca/what-s-next-conversations.html
The “Live and Live Stream” discussion group at Edge:
The Live and Live Stream meeting times are set each week or two. If interested in participating, email: edge@united-church.ca to be included in the following invitations. |
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Want to do your own Online Workshop?
** You supply the topic and the leadership
** UCRMN will supply the logistics, such as; advertising in our monthly ENews, Registration, Zoom platform and all the administration needed for a successful workshop.
Email Connor at office@UCRMN.ca to talk about possibilities.
Why a cost for the workshops?
UCRMN has been granted $5,000 from United Church of Canada Foundation to set up the Network. One of the goals is to make UCRMN self sufficient. The token costs will help with accountability. We are not expecting the $10 cost to cover actual expenses.
We are open to any ideas how we can make UCRMN self sufficient: Please Email info@UCRMN.ca with suggestions.
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So Long For Now!
We hope you enjoyed this "work in process".
Any suggestions are most welcomed. Email editor@UCRMN.ca
Please forward this email to your Rural Ministry Colleagues and encourage them to subscribe from our webpage at www.UCRMN.ca
Who is UCRMN?
We are a Volunteer Network that is collecting and posting Rural Ministries initiatives in the United Church - across Canada - in one place;
www.UCRMN.ca
If you have an interest in finding out more, or to volunteer as a Board Member or in some other way, please email us at info@UCRMN.ca
Blessings on your ministry!
Catherine, Eric, Donna, Felicia and Shelley
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